Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 11. Applying a dual-licensing model helps even those non-OSS ETCS suppliers
participating in cost sharing for add-on modules even if the usage of the openETCS
software kernel is not possible due to technical or licensing incompatibilities, but by
providing a “Mini-API” some or all future new add-on functions can be integrated.
any proprietary software with alternative licensed software, not including a
Copy-Left provision.
Besides commercial matters also technical constrains have to be taken into
account when combining software parts, developed for different architectural
designs. A concept of “hardware virtualization” has already been discussed
to overcome potential security issues [43].
3.7
How to Phase-in an OSS Approach into a Proprietary
Environment?
Even though the original concept of the ETCS goes far back into the early
1990 years projecting an open “white-box” design of interchangeable building
blocks, independent from certain manufacturers, based on a common speci-
fication and mainly driven by the railway operators organized in the UIC
(Union International des Chemin de Fer = International Union of Railways),
software was not a central issue and open source software concepts were in its
infancy [41], [42]. Since then a lot of conceptual effort and detailed product
development work has been done, but the “white box” approach has never
been adapted by the manufacturing industry.
Despites various diculties and shortcomings, as mentioned earlier, the
European signal manufacturers have developed several products, more or less
fit for its purpose and it would be unwise to ignore this status of development
and start a brand new development path from scratch. This would just lead
